Secondary escape hatch attachment for underground fallout or blast shelters



Nov. 3, 1964 R. D. AYRES 3,155,057

SECONDARY ESCAPE HATCH ATTACHMENT FOR UNDERGROUND FALLOUT OR BLAST SHELTERS Filed May 2, 1962 k 1 ms INVENTOR 50m 20 0. Areas United States Patent 3,155,657 SECONDARY ESCAPE HATCH ATTAQHMENT FOR UNDERGRQUND FALLGUT 8R BLAST SHELTER? Richard Eonaid Ayres, Baltimore, Md, assignor to Raymar Construction Co., line, Baltimore, Md. Filed May 2, i962, Ser. No. 191,805 1 Claim. (Cl. 109 l) This invention relates to an escape hatch and more particularly to a secondary escape hatch which may be either formed initially with or attached to an existing underground fallout or blast shelter.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of such a secondary escape hatch by means of which the occupants of an underground fallout or blast shelter may escape from the shelter in the event that the principal exit is closed or blocked by falling debris, earth, an overturned vehicle, or in any other manner rendered unusable.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a hatch will provide, when closed, all of the protection of a solid earth layer above the roof of the shelter, and at the same time, reduce the effort required to escape from the shelter without the necessity of moving an equivalent Weight of earth.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such an escape hatch which is normaly filled with a dry pulverulent non-clogging material such as builders sand, which has an opening of relatively small size in the base thereof through which the sand may be permitted to escape gradually, so that the main escape door may be opened without the danger of injury to the occupants by the bulk of sand or similar material falling out with the opening of a hatch.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is provided with a flange adapted to seat on the roof of the underground shelter below the ground level, and which may, if the device is installed as an addition, be moved vertically of the escape hatch casing until the lower portion of the casing extends slightly below the roof of the underground shelter with the flange seating on the top thereof, and then secured fixedly in place in any desired manner, as for example, by welding.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character provided with extremely simple latch releasing means, which are substantially incapable of jamming, so that even in the event that the shelter is shaken by blast, and distorted, the release of the latch mechanism will automatically allow the lower escape door to fall by gravity to open position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a piano hinge extending the full width of the lower escape door, which also serves to prevent distortion of the hinges in the event of blast or other damage.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a secondary escape hatch which is sturdy and durable in construction, which will afford all the protection of a normally covering earth layer, which may be emptied of its contents, when it is necessary or desirable to use the same, with a minimum of confusion and diiiiculty, and which further may be readily attached to any existing shoulder by the simple expedient of exposing a portion of the roof of the shelter and forming an opening therein of a dimension sufiicient to accommodate the hatch.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangement of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter, and disclosed in the accompanying drawing wherein there are shown preferred embodiments of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

3,155,057 Patented Nov. 3, 1964 FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the secondary escape hatch of the instant invention, showing one relative location thereof with relation to an underground blast or fallout shelter, certain concealed portions thereof being indicated in dotted lines.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIGURE 2, showing the lower portion of the shelter in elevation, certain concealed parts thereof being indicated in dotted lines.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing a detail of the latch mechanism as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but disclosing a modified form of latch mechanism; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the hatch of FIGURE 5 showing the latch mechanism therefor.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the escape hatch of the instant invention is generally indicated at iii, and comprises a rectangular casing 11, of any desired length, width or thickness, which is provided at its upper end with a loosely fitting, preferably metal covering 12. The cover 12 is provided with a peripheral flange 13 which fits over the upper rim of the casing 11 loosely, so that it may be readily forced upwardly from beneath when necessary, and which is not provided with hinges, latch mechanism, or other media which would render its dislodgment difhcult. Externally of housing 11 there is provided a double thickness angle iron flange 14,

which extends about the entire perimeter of the enclosure l1, and which is slidable thereon, in order that it may be positioned to rest on the roof R of the underground shelter S, with the wall portions of the member 11 extending entirely through an opening in the roof to the underside thereof. After the proper positioning of the flange has been determined it may be secured to the body in any desired manner as by welding 115. The lower portion of the body 11 is provided along one edge with a piano type hinge 16 extending substantially the full width thereof, and secured toa closure plate 17. The closure plate 17 extends in normally horizontal position beneath the body 11, and is secured in position by a pair of pinslh, each of which is provided with an offset handle member 19, and each of which extends through a strap 20 fixedly secured to the side of the casing adjacent thereto and ex: tending below the flush edge of the bottom closure mem ber 17. It will thus be seen that by simply withdrawing pins 13 by means of their handles 19, that lower enclosure 17 will fall by gravity to open position.

Escape rungs R are positioned on the wall of the shelter S immediately adjacent the latching pin lfi, and continued at suitable spaced distances up the adjacent side wall of the escape hatch body 11.

Under normal conditions, and when not in use, the entire interior of hatch casing 11 is filled with pulverulent fallout and blast resistant material, generally indicated at 21, which preferably, although not necessarily, comprises builders sand. This material has been found to aiford all of the protective qualities of a full earth covering, but at the same time to be non-caking, so that it may be readily drained when it is desired to use the secondary escape hatch. In order to eifect such drainage, a relatively small opening 25 is centrally positioned in the bottom of closure member 17, and is normally closed by a paddle-shaped closure member 26 which is pivotally mounted as on a stud or pivot 27 adjacent the opening 25. A depending handle member 28 is provided by means Q3 of which the closure 26 may be rotated about pivot 27 to permit the escape of the sand through opening 25 prior to the opening of the main cover. finch sand, due to the relatively small size of the opening 25, will escape relatively slowly so that it may be retained in pails or the like for convenient removal, or may, if desi ed, merely be allowed to fall to the floor of the shelter for later removal.

In the illustrative embodiment of the shelter shown, the same is provided with relatively thick walls and root comprised of reinforced concrete, or other suitable Inatcrial, the roof of the shelter being at any desired depth below the ground level G. After the shelter is completed, it is covered with earth E to any desired depth, in accordance with anticipated conditions or Civil Defense requirements, and in the event that the emergency escape hatch 16 is installed when the shelter is constructed, it is poistioned in an opening in the roof designed to accommodate the same when the earth is filled to a level immediately adjacent the top cover 12.

In the event that it is desired to install such an escape hatch in a previously construct-ed shelter, it is necessary rst to remove the earth covering to a depth wherein the root of the she ter is exposed, and then breach the roof with an opening in o which the body 11 may extend. In the event of any irregularities in the opening, these may be filled with cement or other desired material after the insertion of the body 11. When installing the device, the lower closure member 17 is closed, as is the auxiliary closure 26, the device filled with sand from the outside, and the cover 12 positioned thereupon.

The procedure for escape from the shelter through the secondary hatch has been previously discussed.

It is to be understood that other closure means than the pins 13 may be employed, if desired.

One form of such construction is disclosed in PEG URES and 6 wherein the straps 2% on the lower wall of the casing 11 below flange 1 take the form of tubular bars or rods 3%, at the lower end or" which there is provided a pivot pin 31 suitably secured intcriorly of the members 39, which is provided with a rotatable latch member 32, one end of which overlies the edge of bottom closure member 17, such end being indicated at 33. Obviously, upon rotation of the opposite end 3d of the pivoted latch member 32 its engagement with the portion (53 of the lower closure member 17 is discontinued, and the lower closure 17 is permitted to fall by gravity to open positiom Obviously, the device may be made in any desired length or width, in accordance with the particular con structions, and may carry rungs on more than one wall, so that it may be used in large sizes for community shelters, to permit the escape of more than one individual at a time if such escape becomes necessary.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved secondary escape hatch attachment for underground fallout or blast shelters which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A second escape hatch for underground fallout or blast shelters comprising a hollow rectangular metal body, one open end of which is adapted to extend through an opening in the roof of the shelter and the other open end above the ground, a peripherally flanged metal cover loosely fitted over the end above the ground, a double thickness angle iron flange movable along the exterior of said body, said flange being adapted to rest on the shelter roof, means fixing said flange to the body after initial adjustment to seat the flange on the shelter roof surrounding the opening, a piano type hinge extending the full width of one side of the bottom opening, a downwardly opening bottom closure carried by said hinge completely closing the open bottom end of said body, quick release latch means carried by said bottom closure on the side opposite said hinge securing said bottom closure in closed position, said bottom closure having a centrally disposed relatively small opening therein, a plate pivoted to the underside of said bottom closure movable to open and close said relatively small opening, a handle on said plate to facilitate pivoting thereof, escape rungs positioned interiorly of said body on the side adjacent said latch means, and sand completely filling said body when said bottom closure and said relatively small opening are closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,233,818 Spelbrink July 17, 1917 1,406,894 Rcdshaw Feb. 14, 1922 2,583,836 Gruetjen Jan. 29, 1952 2,818,146 Palmieri Dec. 31, 1957 2,822,765 Rudinger Feb. 11, 1958 2,830,675 Drager Apr. 15, 1958 2,903,874 Drager Sept. 15, 1959 2,997,058 Hall Aug. 22, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 790,723 Great Britain Jan. 24, 1956 1,005,259 Germany Mar. 28, 1957 1,009,031 Germany May 23, 1957 

